Solar powered portable food container

Abstract

A portable food container is cooled by a solar powered refrigeration unit and includes a thermoelectric power unit and heat pipes so that the container will be cooled even when there is no solar radiation and will have an even temperature distribution.

We claim: 
     
       1. A food storage container comprising: (A) a case unit which includes (1) an open-topped food-container portion having a bottom outside wall, a front outside wall, a rear outside wall, end outside walls, and an interior wall, said outside walls being connected together to form a receptacle having an open top and said interior wall being connected to said bottom and to said front and rear outside walls to form a compartment in said food-container portion,   (2) a top portion having side walls, end walls and a handle attached thereto, and   (3) pivot means connecting said top portion to said food-container portion so that said top portion moves between a covering position covering said open topped food-container portion and an uncovering position exposing the interior of said food-container portion to access via said open top;     (B) a cooling unit in said case unit and including (1) a solar energy collector on said rear outside wall,   (2) an evaporator located in said food-container portion adjacent to said rear outside wall,   (3) a condenser located in said compartment,   (4) conduit means fluidically connecting said solar energy collector, said evaporator and said condenser to form a fluid circuit,   (5) a refrigerant fluid in said fluid circuit, and   (6) a pump fluidically connected to said conduit means to force said refrigerant fluid through said fluid circuit;     (C) a power source unit in said case unit and including a thermoelectric generator which has (1) a heat absorbing reservoir in heat transferring relation with said solar energy collector,   (2) a heat rejecting reservoir mounted on said case unit in heat transferring relation to said evaporator,   (3) a thermoelectric conducting means connecting said reservoirs together, and   (4) a storage battery electrically connected to said thermoelectric conducting element and to said cooling unit pump; and     (D) a heat distribution unit mounted in said case and including a plurality of heat pipes having a heat absorbing end located adjacent to and in heat transferring relation with said front outside wall, and a heat rejecting end located adjacent to and in heat transferring relation with said evaporator.   
     
     
       2. The container defined in claim 1 wherein said power source unit includes a plurality of series-connected stages. 
     
     
       3. The container defined in claim 2 wherein said heat distribution unit further includes a fan connected to said battery. 
     
     
       4. The container defined in claim 3 further including a thermostat mounted in said receptacle.